Love is Reason
by The Hark-ness monster
Summary: Love is reason to forgive. It's been far too long but it seems that things are finally back to normal for these two lovers...sort of.
1. Chapter 1

Love is Reason

Assassin's Creed

An Altair/Malik fanfiction

A Kiss Before the Kill

While Altair goes to face Al Mualim…

I ran down the mountain path towards the village as fast as I could, as if Allah himself were behind me. But before I could make it far, it hit me.

"_Safety and peace."_

"_Your presence will deliver us both."_

Would I let those be the last words between Altair and I? No, I think not.

"Go on ahead," I told the four assassins that were with me; the only sane ones left. "I have to finish something." They nodded and continued down the hill.

I hoped they would not think me a coward but I quickly pushed that thought aside. All I thought of now was Altair. The one that I loved. The one I had always loved even if I had convinced myself otherwise after the tragic death of my brother. Altair and I had not officially made amends after Solomon's temple and I was not ready to let Altair go, knowing he might die, without making things right with him. Compelled by those thoughts, my feet seemed to move even faster than they had before. As if Allah had now lifted me with his own hand so that my feet were no longer hindered by the ground.

I stopped when I saw him running towards the fortress. I knew I would not catch him.

"Altair!" I screamed. My voice echoed through the silent cliffs. When the sound caught up with him he stopped in his tracks and spun around.

"Malik!" I heard him say, even though he was not as loud as I had been.

He ran back towards me without hesitation and with tears in my eyes, my feet began to move again, slowly at first but then picking up speed. The space between us closed quickly and as soon as he was close enough, I kissed him, so hard he nearly fell backwards but he found his balance and flung his arms around me. Pushing back against me, his lips worked furiously against mine and in a passionate lock of lips and limbs we kissed for the first time in too long.

The kiss broke but, close to his face, I said, "Promise me this will not be the last time I see you."

He took my face between his hands and his eyes pierced mine with intensity. "I promise."

He leaned down and gave me a quick peck on the lips saying, "And I promise that won't be the last time I kiss you either." Then all I could do was stare at him and smile as I felt warmth burn beneath my skin in our moment of absolution. "Stay strong, my love, and stay safe." He shook me gently with his reassuring words.

"And you as well, Altair. Now go." I finally released him, though I was reluctant to do so. "I am sure your blade is thirsty for the traitor's blood."

He started to back away but before he turned, he winked at me and through his charming smile said, "Always, brother."

And there we parted ways, him to face Al Mualim, the great and powerful mastermind, and I to hold off the pathetic, mind-controlled guards. How did Altair always make me feel so insignificant and yet…so loved at the same time?


	2. Chapter 2

Love is Reason

Assassin's Creed

An Altair/Malik fanfiction

Light in the Darkness

Immediately after Al Mualim's death…

The Apple of Eden captured his full attention. He stood there and stared at the glittering image that seemed suspended in air as if in ice. It was quite a sight to see, but before long the golden orb retreated into the smaller one that lay on the ground.

At that moment something about Altair changed. As I stepped closer, I saw that he was pale, his eyes were vacant as if he had retreated from reality into his own mind. Knees shaking, he stared at the ground, face blank. The only thing that resembled emotion was his lip which twitched once or twice and a misty glaze over his eyes which were now strangely dull.

"Altair." I grabbed him by the shoulders. His eyes looked at me but I could tell he didn't see me. At first I feared he had been hypnotized by the cursed object, but then he spoke.

"Malik," he said nearly sighing as if he hadn't seen me in years. Just then his knees buckled and he gripped my shoulders to steady himself as he sucked in air through his teeth as if in pain. It was then that I noticed he had taken a blow to his side. Not deep, I could tell, but still, it should be treated as quickly as possible.

"Yasir, help me get him to his room."

* * *

><p>Although I laid him down as gently as I could, he still cringed.<p>

"Sorry," I whispered.

"Do you need anything, Malik?" Yasir asked me.

"No. Leave us. I have everything I need." The assassin nodded and complied, leaving us in silence.

Altair's eyes were closed, his breathing heavy. I slowly and gently peeled back his robes to analyze the damage that had been done. He appeared almost to be sleeping, but I was certain he could not sleep with such a wound left untreated.

I dipped a cloth in a bowl of water on the floor beside his bed and began to clean the gash. He did not flinch as I had expected, but his eyes slowly opened. He did nothing but stare at the ceiling with the same blank expression.

I glance up at his face for any reaction as I pressed the damp rag to his wounds. No change. I frowned.

Slowly, as I worked, his hand found its way into mine.

"What have I done, Malik?" he said in a coarse voice, not once tearing his eyes away from the ceiling.

"Shhhh," I said to calm him. Then it occurred to me that the damage may have been more mental than physical. We were all shaken by the astounding and mysterious light given off the The Apple…and Al Mualim was the closest thing Altair ever had to a father. "Al Mualim was a traitor," I reminded him. "You saved the assassin order."

"Did I?"

I put down the rag, squeezed his hand and looked at him hard. "Yes. Don't let the lies he told you become truths in your mind. Fight back, Altair. You know what you believe."

"Do I?"

I sighed and felt his forehead with the back of my hand. He looked awful. "Get some rest, Altair. And try not to worry too much." Then he turned and looked at me. His eyes were horribly sad. They stayed open just long enough to break my heart then they closed and he sighed.

"I never could survive without you," he mumbled, barely loud enough for me to hear, but I heard and smiled as he fell still and quiet once more.

* * *

><p>A pot of tea sat on the table between us but I did not bother to pour him any. I knew he would not drink it anyway. But he did hold the cup in his hand as it rested on the table, occasionally running his finger around the rim.<p>

I glanced at him every now and then, keeping a watchful eye on the damaged assassin. He sat there in dark, loose-fitting trousers and the bandages I had wrapped around his side, staring out into the dark over the balcony on which we sat.

I took a sip of tea, placed the cup on the table and looked at him. His face was creased with concentration but he was not focused on the stars or the landscape adorned with hills and a sprinkling of houses. No, it was something else. It pulled my lips downward with concern.

"You should get some sleep," I said.

He shook his head and continued to stare at nothing. "I just need to think this all through," he replied flatly.

"Alright, well, you won't mind if I get some rest then?" I asked, rising from my chair.

"Take the bed in here then," he gestured behind him towards his room. "I just…don't want to be alone."

That was something I had never expected to hear from Altair, and something I think he never expected to say as he hung his head in shame. In his current state, however, I was not surprised, but just a little disheartened.

I walked over in front of him and waited for his eyes to meet mine. Slowly they rose.

"Hey." I laid a gentle hand on the side of his face. "It's going to be alright." I said as I sank to his eyelevel.

Slowly he nodded and his eyes met the ground as tears threatened his dignity. I sighed. All I wanted to do was hold him like I used to, but I knew he just needed some time to think, so I leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his forehead instead.

My hand ran through his coarse, brown hair and then I left him in the peaceful silence of the night.

* * *

><p>Sometime that night, I felt Altair crawl into bed beside me.<p>

I rolled over and took him into my arms. He snuggled closer, almost like a child, and nuzzled his face into my neck. He sighed and began to relax, and I did the same when I felt our breathing synchronize. I ran a hand up and down his back, over the bandages of his wounds.

Finally, things were like they had once been. He and I together, in each other's arms, sharing the bed in his room. No fighting, not anger, no hate. And most importantly, no lies. Because all of those things before had been lies. Here we were, once again, truthfully expressing how we really felt about each other.


	3. Chapter 3

Love is Reason

Assassin's Creed

An Altair/Malik Fanfiction

The Way Things Were  
><span>

It was late. The sun had disappeared from the sky, previously covered over with a thin layer of ominously grey clouds. It was long past the crisis brought by the traitor, the one we had called Al Mualim. Most of the fortress was sleeping. Many of the assassins were still weary from the stress of the fall of our leader. The halls and the streets were silent and sad, abandoned by any and all passing faces.

I found Altair at Al Mualim's desk. His face was down and he stared in concentration at the golden object in his hand, the Apple of Eden. I do not even think he noticed my presence.

"You've been staring at that thing for hours," I poked at him playfully while I leaned against a bookshelf. He didn't look up. "I'm pretty sure obsession is unhealthy." Stepping up to the desk I snatched the apple out of his hand. "Especially when it's with hypnotic pieces of Eden," I teased.

He smirked up at me with bright amber eyes in his typical, seductive fashion, but then his expression changed to a gentler, sweeter expression of simple love. I had to smile back.

"I was just umm…trying to figure out…how it worked," he said shyly, unlike him, as he reached out over the desk and grabbed the apple back.

"Well you're not going to."

"Huh?"

"I think Allah designed it so you wouldn't figure it out," I challenged, crossing my arms at him.

He gave me a skeptical look to contribute to our staring contest but I was steadfast in what I believed and he broke down first, chuckling as he placed the object in question on the desk.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Malik, where do we go from here?" The sound of defeat was thick in his voice and it was not surprising.

"Well, you were the highest ranking assassin. So I suppose you're the new leader," I proposed. Then, I added with confidence, "And I'd be honored to serve at your right hand if you'd have me."

He flashed me an amused smile of perfect white teeth. "As long as I don't need a left hand, right."

I frowned at him and his cruel joke. "Ok that was uncalled for, but I suppose I should've seen it coming." Then I smiled. At least he was back to being his usual self.

His laughter echoed in the empty hall. "Well that's wonderful Malik, but I was talking about us." Then his eyes got that devilish look that I had so dearly missed.

"Us?" I said, raising an eyebrow and feeling blush creep across my face.

"You and I Malik," he said, rising from his chair and walking towards me…with that same smirk on his face. "Where do _we_ go from here?"

Our eyes locked as he stepped closer and slipped a hand around my waist and pulled me closer. Heat burned through my entire body as his other hand curved around my neck and brought my face towards his.

"How about your room," I nearly whispered, my breathing heavy.

He snickered softly. The blush on my face darkened. "Now there's the Malik I remember," he said. With my forehead against his, he gently stroked the back of my neck. "I missed you," he sighed and pulled me close against him. My face buried in his shoulder, I mumbled; "I missed you too." Though it was barely understandable, I think he got the idea. He pulled my face towards his and kissed me.

I leaned into the kiss and when he went to pull away I did not let him. With fire at my fingertips, my hand slid around the back of his neck to hold his lips against mine. When I felt his tongue push past my lips, something burned within me that had not been lit for a long time. I wanted to go further, and by the way he pulled at my robes I knew he did too, but I stopped myself.

Over the sound of our heavy breath, I said, "We best continue this out of public eye don't you think?"

He grinned lazily at the suggestion. "Of course. Come on," he said and we headed down the stairs.

Once we left the fortress, Altair looked around and noticed the nonexistent crowd. It was late after all…

"It doesn't look like there would be too many people to disturb us here." The courtyard was empty, the streets, abandoned. "But I'm not one to argue when you want to take me to bed."

I smiled to myself as my heart fluttered. "I know you're not." My hand found his and we wove our fingers together.

The whole way his face was cast down, hidden by his hood, except for his lips which were twisted into a sly grin that seemed to say he was planning exactly what he was going to do to me. I liked it. My pace quickened and he followed, his fingers locked in mine.

The door shut. We were alone now. And we were most certainly going to take advantage of that.

He trapped me against the wall and kissed me with soft, gentle lips. But he was just testing the waters. Quickly, they grew more desperate and a bite to my lip resulted. His hands slid beneath my outer robe and then down my arms until the blue cloth fell to the floor.

I pushed myself against him until he moved backwards and managed to unclip his massive assassin's belt in the process. It slid to the floor with a thud. Then he turned to reverse our positions and with his heated lips pressing against mine, I stepped back until my legs hit the bed.

I sat and shifted back further onto the bed pulling him on top of me as my desperate hands pulled at his robes. My fingers worked furiously to find a way beneath the rough, white fabric. Finally, they slipped under the cloth and brushed his skin, which I had not felt in far too long.

His lips pulled at mine and he pressed our chests together, harder, until I was forced to lie down with him perched on top like a lion on its prey. With his usual skill he removed my robe swiftly and seductively and went on to run his hands up and down my sides, lacing my nerves in sweet chills. As hot lips pressed against the skin on my neck, and even down to my chest and beyond, I could not suppress the occasional soft moan. He, of course, supplied his fair share of those as well.

After a moment, he stopped, looked me dead in the eye and smiled wickedly. Two fingers slipped past my lips and quickly moved across my tongue. It wasn't until he reached over to the candle on the table beside us that I realized what he was doing. He crushed the tiny flame between the same two fingers.

After that our bodies moved perfectly together in the darkness and not once did we think of that brief and unfortunate period of time when things were not like this.


	4. Chapter 4

Love is Reason

Assassin's Creed

An Altair/Malik fanfiction

At Dawn

In the morning, I found him perched on the ledge of the balcony waiting for the sun to crawl out from under the covers of night. As the golden glow began to wake from its sleep, its stretching limbs painted the sky in soft hues.

"You should come down from there," I warned playfully. "You could fall."

He stayed fixed where he was and did not move. "Have you really lost _all _faith in my abilities, Malik? I am no longer a novice." His tone was smooth and emotionless as usual but I could tell he was smiling under his hood.

I walked up behind him. "Yes, but novice or no you will fall if I…push you!" I grabbed his shoulder and shook him gently, only to make him teeter a little on the edge. I laughed and he chuckled lightly as he recovered his balance. The sun peeked above the distant hills and the peaceful moment drew a sigh from my lips. "You always did have better balance than I," I said.

"Yes," he smiled, but slowly his face grew serious and he looked troubled. "And Kadar had better than us both."

Silence came across us then, even a bird in the distance ceased it's song. My face fell with the name of my late brother.

He paused for a moment longer, glancing at me before dropping his gaze back down to the far off ground. "I guess I never really apologize for what I did to you," he said softly. "I'm sorry."

I frowned. "You cannot apologize for being responsible for someone's death," I told him solemnly.

He cast me a deeply apologetic look and it tortured me knowing that I could not accept it. Stepping down from the ledge, he leaned back against it and locked his eyes with mine. I turned to face him fully.

"I'm sorry too," I told him. "You know, sometimes I missed you as much as I missed him." My feet took two steps before they met his and I wrapped my lonely arm around him and fell into his embrace. "At least I have you again." I sighed, but my thoughts still lingered on my brother. Squeezing my eyes shut, scenes from Solomon's temple flashed across the backs of my eyelids and I knew there was nothing I could do to be rid of them. So I just held Altair tighter, clinging to the shattered pieces of what I had once had.

* * *

><p>Later that day, I went to my brother's grave for the first time since his death. Of course they did not actually have a body, but it was customary to leave a headstone for all those killed in action.<p>

This valley was the quietest in all of Masyaf. It was far from the village with no houses, livestock or fields with the bustle of farm work. Just a sprinkle of spread-out stones that each displayed a name, two dates and sometimes a few useless words that failed to comfort. Sometimes the stones were the only ones who remembered what was written on them and the only ones who cared about the person underneath. That was what was really sad about this place.

I walked up to the grey, unceremonious, slab of rock which bore my brother's name; Kadar Al-Sayf. My fingers ran across the sloppy and pathetic excuse for an engraving. Then the air left my lungs in a sigh and I sank to my knees in the grass. I sighed again and stared for a long while trying not to think, just fighting tears that came quicker than I had expected. I stopped a sob in its tracks as it clawed its way up my throat. It stung, fighting the suppression.

Before long, I felt two strong hands gently grip my shoulders from behind. I was not surprised. I knew he had been following me but he had taken plenty of time before he actually approached.

Neither of us dared say anything. We had nothing left to say. Now it was the stone's turn to speak, but it only stared at us and we stared back with sadness in our eyes and hearts broken.

One drop, a salty tear managed to slip past my eye and it slid down my cheek but Altair caught it with one rough finger before it could reach my lips. More tears came and my hand went to my mouth as I could hold it back no longer. I began to sob.

Altair stayed with me as I cried at my brother's grave and I was thankful for the arms that wrapped themselves around me and kept me strong.

Things would never be the same as they had once been. We were all afraid. But at least Altair and I knew, through our unsaid words and skipping heartbeats that we would always have something to count on.


End file.
